1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to basketball goal assemblies and, more particularly, to novel adjustable wheel engagement assemblies for basketball goal systems employing a unique structural design that facilitates selective movement of the basketball goal system in relation to a playing surface.
2. The Relevant Technology
As the game of basketball has increased in popularity a greater number of people have purchased basketball goals for use at their homes. Typically, home basketball goals are permanently mounted in a manner such that the driveway of the home serves as a playable basketball court, as few homes have sufficient land surrounding the home to dedicate space for exclusive use as a basketball court. In some instances, deciding where to position or mount a basketball goal can pose some playing difficulties. For example, mounting a basketball goal adjacent to the driveway of a home may precipitate a risk to any traffic in the driveway, resulting in potential injury to the players or damage to parked or moving automobiles.
In some cases, the perfect location for mounting a basketball goal is the place where permanently mounting the basketball goal cannot be easily accomplished. Such a location may be where there is concrete or asphalt on the ground. To permanently mount the basketball goal assembly would therefore require breaking up the concrete or asphalt and then repairing the receiving hole after inserting an end of a support pole into the ground. Such a procedure could be relatively expensive and would most likely leave the driveway appearing unsightly at least during the period of construction and repair.
Other disadvantages are also associated with permanently installed basketball goal assemblies. Since basketball goal assemblies are generally mounted to a surface outdoors, they are generally exposed to the harsh elements of the weather throughout the entire year. As appreciated, constant exposure to the elements of the weather (e.g., rain, snow, sleet, high temperatures) will typically cause the component parts of the basketball goal assembly to prematurely wear by promoting oxidation. Premature oxidation can be particularly troublesome in basketball goal assemblies having any moving parts, such as height adjustment mechanisms or breakaway rim assemblies. Moreover, consistent exposure to the elements of the weather may cause premature failure of such mechanisms.
Mounted basketball goal assemblies that are utilized in an indoor environment may suffer from similar disadvantages associated with permanent placement. For example, schools typically have a gymnasium which generally serves many functional purposes. Having several basketball goals permanently mounted for use in the gymnasium may preclude, or at least interfere, with certain other activities. On formal occasions, objection may be made to the appearance of one or more permanently mounted basketball goals.
In response to these and other disadvantages inherent in basketball goal assemblies that are permanently mounted to a surface, those skilled in the art began developing portable basketball assemblies. In order for a portable basketball goal assembly to be effective, sufficient weight must be employed to maintain the basketball goal in a generally rigid, upright position for use when playing the game of basketball or shooting baskets. Hence, portable basketball goal assemblies were developed utilizing a great deal of weight at the base, thereby making the goal assembly particularly difficult to move and typically requiring the assistance of several people to set up or relocate the basketball goal. Additionally, such designs can be prohibitively expensive for people desiring to purchase one for home use.
Other prior art portable basketball goal assemblies were developed which incorporate removable weights such as, for example, sand bags or metal weights, that are generally disposed in relation to the support structure. A principal disadvantage in using these types of removable weights is that they can be extremely heavy, difficult to lift and arrange. Accordingly, although the basketball goal assemblies employing such designs may be easier to move in relation to permanently mounted goal assemblies, the weights or weighted members are not.
In an attempt to make portable basketball goal assemblies that are better suited for home use, support bases were developed having a hollow cavity sufficient for receiving a ballast material. The ballast material introduced into the cavity of the support base may include water, sand or other suitable material. Such portable basketball goal assemblies can be more easily moved to a desired location where the support base is then filled with the ballast material, thereby providing sufficient weight to maintain the goal in a generally rigid, upright position for game play. A principal advantage of using a support base fillable with a ballast material is that water, sand or other fillable materials are usually inexpensive and convenient to use. When it is desired to move these prior art portable basketball goal assemblies, the ballast material is generally emptied out of the internal cavity in the support base and then the basketball goal assembly is moved. However, having to fill and empty the goal each time the goal is to be set up or moved requires time and is inherently inconvenient.
To assist in moving prior art basketball goal assemblies, one or more wheels were incorporated into support bases to facilitate movement of the basketball goal assembly. For example, one such wheeled support base design is disclosed wherein the support base generally engages the ground and rests on one or more base wheels. Movement is achieved by lifting and tilting the support base generally on an end until substantially the weight of the base rests on the wheels. Thus, the base wheels serve as a rotating fulcrum upon which the effective weight of the basketball goal assembly may be supported such that the basketball goal assembly then is maneuverable in this position from place to place.
A disadvantage to prior art base support wheel assemblies is that pivoting a heavy base to facilitate its relocation can be difficult for some people and especially for children to move. Specifically, attempting to pivot a heavy support base may present dangers associated with having the entire basketball goal assembly dropped on one or more persons or children. This is especially true when someone without sufficient physical strength attempts to pivot or move a heavy support base. Whereas, a sudden release of the heavy base can cause bodily injury or damage to the base or those in its vicinity.
In addition, many portable basketball goal assemblies do not fully engage the playing surface when positioned for game play. This is particularly problematic for basketball goal assemblies that incorporate wheels in the support base. For example, a portion of the base must be lifted off the playing surface to keep the basketball goal assembly from resting on the wheels and being somewhat moveable under little force. As a result, there is less friction between the support base and the playing surface, therefore the support base is liable to move during play, especially during slain dunks and other maneuvers that place a substantial lateral force on the basketball coal assembly.
Another disadvantage with prior art portable basketball goal assemblies is that many are formed having the support pole positioned only a few inches from the inner edge of the base. As a result, the moveable support base extends outwardly and underneath the basketball net. This makes it difficult to execute game play strategies in which a player is positioned behind or beneath the basketball net because the support base extends into this area of game play, and may even cause a player to stumble.
Moreover, many prior art portable basketball goal assemblies do not permit lateral (sideways) motion of the front portion of the support base. Thus, anyone attempting to move the heavy support base and attached pole and basketball goal support must intuitively push the assembly backward to move it or, alternatively, swing the rear portion of the support base around in an effort to orient the base before attempting to move the basketball goal assembly. This can be particularly troublesome when the basketball goal assembly is to be stored in a narrow enclosure; there may not be sufficient room to pivot the support base in order to remove the basketball goal assembly from the enclosure. As appreciated, small adjustments in the positioning of these type of prior art basketball goal assemblies for game play are generally more difficult if the front portion of the assembly, which supports the basketball goal, does not the capacity to be moved laterally.
Furthermore, many prior art portable basketball goal assemblies cannot be manipulated from a stationary configuration to a mobile configuration without changing the position of the device (i.e., forceably tilting the support base). This makes minor repositioning even more difficult, as a user must attempt to move the support base and then try to (guess where the base will end up after the basketball goal assembly is returned to a stationary configuration. A user may thus find it exceptionally difficult to move these prior art basketball goal assemblies only an inch or two.
As noted above, some of the prior art designs of portable basketball goal assemblies also have a number of other problems. For example, some have portions that protrude from the support base and thereby create a playing hazard. Others have moving parts that may pinch body parts as they fold or collapse together. Many prior art designs of portable basketball goal assemblies are also overly expensive and difficult to assemble because they require the use of special fixtures such as bearings, collars, and the like to retain metal parts such as wheels, posts, and sliding members in engagement with the support base.
Consistent with the foregoing, it would be an advancement in the art to provide an improved support base for portable basketball goal assemblies that can be easily moved by one person without having to pivot a significant portion of the weight of the support base in order to facilitate movement. It would be a further advancement in the art to provide a novel support base and wheel system for basketball goal assemblies that can be readily adapted into a playing position, thereby being, resistant to movement during game play.
Yet further, it would be an advancement in the art to provide a portable basketball goal system that is readily movable, as described above, in which substantially the entire underside of the base rests upon the playing surface during game play, so as to impart additional stability and resistance to forces acting on the basketball goal assembly which may tend to move the assembly when configured in the playing position. A still further advancement over the prior art devices would provided by such a basketball goal system wherein the support base does not extend underneath the basketball net, thus impeding net play or causing potential injury to one or more players.
It would be a further advancement in the art to provide a portable basketball goal assembly having a front portion that could be easily moved in a lateral direction. Furthermore, an advancement would be provided by a portable basketball goal assembly that could be made mobile without having to significantly shift the weight of the assembly for movement, so that minor positioning adjustments may easily be made. Further advancements in the art may stem from providing a support base that is substantially free from protruding objects or members that may impede normal use or game play, and substantially free from folding or compressing areas accessible to a user. Still further advancements in the art would be to provide a basketball goal assembly in which comparatively few fixtures are required to retain moving or assembled parts within the support base.
Such a device is disclosed and claimed herein.
The present invention is directed to a basketball goal system employing a novel adjustable wheel engagement assembly that facilitates movement of the basketball goal system relative to a playing surface. One presently preferred embodiment of the novel basketball goal system of the present invention comprises a rigid support pole having a first end configured to supportably engage a basketball goal above a playing surface and a second opposing end adapted to engage a movable support base, The support base may include a receiving aperture formed in a first portion of the support base, wherein the receiving aperture is adapted to receive and maintain the second end of the support pole in either a fixed or pivotal relationship thereto. The support base further includes sufficient weight appropriately disposed along its dimensional length and width so as to support the rigid support pole and the basketball goal in a general upright position over a playing surface for game play.
In one presently preferred embodiment, an adjustable wheel assembly is operably disposed proximate the front portion of the support base having the receiving aperture for receiving the support pole. Preferably, the adjustable wheel assembly comprises a caster rotatably disposed in relation to a support assembly. As will be appreciated, one or more rollers may be supportably disposed in relation to the support base between the front portion and the back portion of the base, if desired. In one presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, the adjustable wheel assembly and one or more rollers, in combination, may provide sufficient support to the base to allow for selective maneuvering of the basketball goal system to various locations for either game play or storage.
An engaging member, moveable between an extended position and a retracted position, is disposed in operable engagement to the support pole. In one presently preferred embodiment, the engaging member comprises a proximal end pivotally connected to the second end of the support pole contiguous the front portion of the base and proximate the receiving aperture that receives the support pole. The engaging member further comprising a distal end configured to engageably receive a hand of a user (e.g., forming a handle). Preferably, the engaging member is pivotally engages the support pole such that the engaging member may be selectively pivoted between an extended position wherein the distal end of the engaging member extends substantially outward and at an angle relative to the generally upright disposition of the support pole and a retracted position wherein the distal end of the engaging member extends substantially parallel to the disposition of the support pole positioned for game play.
In one presently preferred embodiment, the adjustable wheel assembly may comprise a caster mounted on a slider that selectively extends outward from a hollow channel formed at the second end of the support pole. The distal end of the engaging member may include a cam adjustment surface designed to rest upon a follower that is attached to the slider. In operation, the rotational positioning of the cain adjustment surface, when selectively pivoting the engaging member between the retracted position and the extended position, subsequently controls the vertical position of the follower, and therefore that of the slider.
As noted above, in the retracted position, the engaging member is generally disposed substantially upward and parallel to the disposition of the support pole. In operation, the cam adjustment surface of the engaging member may be pivoted in such a way that the follower remains in an upward position. Consequently, the slider of the adjustable wheel assembly may be retained within the internal periphery of the hollow chamber of the support pole, and the caster may therefore be retracted such that the weight of the basketball goal system does not rest upon the adjustable wheel assembly, but rather on the contacting surface of the base support to prevent movement of the basketball goal system. Although one or more rollers may remain in constant contact with the playing surface, the rollers alone are ineffective to allow movement of the support base from one location to another when the engaging member is selectively positioned in the retracted position. Significant movement of the basketball goal system is thus prevented during game play when the engaging member is disposed in the retracted position and the caster is selectively retracted from supporting engagement with the playing surface.
In the extended position, the engaging member extends substantially outward and at an angle relative to the generally upright disposition of the support pole for game play. In operation, the cam adjustment surface of the engaging member may be rotated to a position in which the follower is forced generally downward in relation to the support base. Consequently, the slider generally slides outward from within the hollow channel at the second end of the support pole and, as the caster supportably engages the playing surface, the front portion of the support base is subsequently lifted off the playing surface so that the weight of the front portion of the support base supportably rests upon the caster of the adjustable wheel assembly. As noted above, the distal end of the engaging member may then used as a handle or lever for gripping in order to facilitate maneuvering of the support base and, accordingly, the basketball goal system from one location to another for game play or storage.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel adjustable wheel assembly for a basketball goal system having an engaging member adapted to be selectively positionable between a retracted position such that the support base is restricted from significant movement in relation to the playing surface and an extended position which facilitates controlled movement of the support base and, correspondingly, the basketball goal system from one location to another.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a support base for a basketball goal assembly that may be moved from one location to another without having to physically lift or tilt the support base from its substantially horizontal position relative to the playing surface.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a basketball goal system having an engaging member comprising a distal end that serves as a handle or lever for gripping by a user when attempting to manually maneuver the basketball goal system from one position to another.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a novel adjustable wheel assembly for basketball goal systems that maintains a substantial frictional area between the support base and the playing surface for stable game play when the engaging member is disposed in a retracted position and, correspondingly, a significant portion of the length of the slider is selectively disposed in the hollow channel formed in the second end of the support pole.
Additionally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a support base for a basketball goal system that remains substantially displaced from beneath a basketball net to make net play safer and easier.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a support base for a basketball goal system, wherein a front portion of the support base can be moved in a lateral direction by means of displacing the engaging member in an extended position, thus disposing the caster of the adjustable wheel assembly in supportable relation to the playing surface so as to facilitate easy maneuvering of the basketball goal assembly from one location to another.